Injector



June 17, 1941. w TINKER 2,245,839

- INJECTOR Filed Jan. 8, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 17, 1941. w. H. TINKER INJECTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 8, 1940 iatented June 17, 1941 TTES PATET mass INJECTOR Application January 8, 1940, Serial No. 313,018

. 11 Claims.

This invention relates to injectors for feeding water to steam boilers and particularly to locomotive boilers.

Injectors for this purpose fall, generally, into two types, viz: Linjectors in which the capacity,

that is to say the amount of water fed to the boiler, is controlled by regulating the feed of water to the injector, and II, those'in which the capacity is controlled by regulating the feed to the injector of the steam serving to lift the water to the injector.

In the first type, grading of the injector or, in other words, control of the amount of water fed thereby to the boiler, is accomplished by controlling the feed of water to the injector While the feed of steam thereto remains constant so long as pressure in the combining chamber of the injector is below the critical pressure at the throat of the steam nozzle, whereas in the second type similar conditionsare established by controlling the admission of steam while the admission of water remains constant.

Injectors of both of these types are wasteful of steam, for the reason that, where the admission of Water to the injector is controlled and the feed of steam remains constant, the amount of steam used is at times far in excess of that required for effective operation and, also, the temperature of the water may be raised much higher than is considered practical; and where the water inlet of the injector is always fully open and the steam is controlled, more steam isordinarily used than is commensurate with the work done by the injector.

One object of the present invention is to provide an injector of the second type in which the steam and water'passing into the injector are so regulated by control of the steam alone as to establish at all times a predetermined constant or variable ratio between water and steam.

Moreover, in accordance with the practice of the invention, this ratio will be directly reflected in the temperature of the water fed by the injector to the boiler. Furthermore, this inode of controlling the steam makes it possible to reduce the number of spillways in the tube assembly to the minimum, for the reason that by controlling the ratio of steam to water initially admitted to the tubes the density of the column therein is no more than they are capable of handling and there will be little or no tendency to spill. Thus the amount of mixture in the overflow chamber will be materially less than in the case of injectors operated in accordance with present common practice after full operation is established.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in combination with the customary overflow valve, means whereby pressure of water upon breaking of the injector action will not accumulate at the overflow valve to an extent sufficient to materially restrain its manual opening, and means whereby such pressure will be equalized with respect to opening and closing movement of the valve.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved injector body in which the axes of all passages lie in a common plane, thereby materially simplifying the design of the body and the operations of machining the same, and also greatly reducing the space required for installation of the injector.

Injectors embodying the features of the in vention contain fewer parts than those of com- .parable capacity heretofore known, are more economical and efficient in operation, more easily controlled, and lend themselves more readily to removal, replacement and'repair of .parts. i v

The primary feature of the invention is the valve means for control of the admission of steam, these valve means including, as cooperative, interdependent parts, a valve for controlling admission of steam to the lifting tube means and a valve for controlling admission of steam to the forcing tube means, the former being responsive to movement of the latter but being functionally effective prior to the functional efiectiveness of the latter, whereby grading of the injector may be accomplished without waste of steam or water and the steam-water ratio maintained substantially constant as governed by the predetermined characteristics of design of the first-mentioned Valve and its cooperating parts, all as will be explained hereinafter more fully and finally claimed. I

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated,

' Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a complete injector embodying a preferred form of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking toward the left-hand side of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof, With certain operating connections omitted,

Figs. 4 and 4a are sectional elevations of mod.- ified forms of the steam valve means,

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation illustrating a modification of the overflow passage.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the lifting tube taken in a plane at 45 to that of the section of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section in the plane of line 1-1, Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of the lifting steam valve of the steam valve means.

Fig. 9 illustrates a further modification in which the steam valve means are arranged apart from, but in communication with the lifting and forcing steam nozzles.

Fig. 10 illustrates a modification in which the lifting and forcing steam valves are made integral.

The body I of the injector is preferably made as an integral casting, suitably cored and machined to provide a plurality of passages the axes of which preferably lie in a common plane and including a water inlet 2, an overflow 3, a steam inlet 4 and a feed outlet 5, all of which communicate through appropriate channels or chambers with the tube passage Ii inwhich the injector tubes are mounted.

The water inlet 2 is preferably provided with an appropriate non-return check valve I which remains normally open when the injector is in operation and closes when the injector ceases functioning.

Arranged in relative axial alignment within and axially of the tube passage 6 are the injector tubes including a lifting tube 8, combining tubes 9, III and II and a delivery tube I2, with which cooperate the lifting steam nozzle I3 and the forcing steam nozzle I4.

The tubes 8, 9, 10, II and I2 may be of any customary or approved form suitable to accomplish the results desired, with the provision that at the throat |5 of the delivery tube the diameter be sufficiently small to effect satisfactory operation of the injector at its minimum delivery rate, and with the further provision that the annular water passage between the tube 8 and forcing steam nozzle I4 be suifi'ciently restricted to prohibit free flow, by-gravity, of water through it, thus making possible effective action of the lifting steam.

The lifting steam nozzle I3 and the forcing steam nozzl I4 are so formed at their steam entrance ends as to provide cooperative parts of the steam valve means whereby control of the lifting steam and the forcing steam is effected.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 6, 7 and 8, it will be seen that the lifting steam nozzle I3 is provided with an upper portion extending into the steam inlet passage, this portion having two annular substantially concentric Walls providing, respectively, a guide collar I6 terminating in a seat I! for the lifting steam valve 8, and an inner wall I9, between which and the collar I6 is provided an annularspace 20' communieating with th nozzle opening (see Fig, 6) in which the apertured sleeve 2| of the valve I8 reciprocates. The outer surface of the inner wall I9 is provided with a cylindrical part extending downwardly from its upper edge 22 and this edge 22 cooperates with the conical inner surface 23 of the sleeve 2| in such manner that as th sleeve is moved upwardly the annular space between it and the edge 22 will gradually increase.

The body of the lifting steam valve I8 is chambered to receive the forcing steam valve 24 for which it also provides a seat for controlling admission to the lifting and forcing steam nozzles of steam entering openings 25 in the valve body I8. The forcing steam valve 24 has a limited reciprocative movement, under the influence of its threaded stem 26, within the chamber of the valve body I8, but its movement in excess of such limited movement will carry with it the valve I8.

Below its seating face the forcing steam valve 24 is provided with a projection or plug 21 having a loose sliding fit within the upper counterbored end 28 of the forcing steam nozzle, and the relative extent of this plug 21 and the counterbore is such that the lifting steam valve I8 and its sleeve 2| are moved to steam admitting position before the plug is withdrawn from the counterbore.

It will be understood from the foregoing that as the forcing steam valve 24 is unseated by upward movement, steam will pass through the openings 25 and between the valve 24 and its seat and will enter the annular space 20, and flow thence into the lifting steam nozzle I3 (see Figs. Sand 7) to start operation of the injector by drawing water past the check valve I. Steam also passes into the forcing nozzle through the restricted space between the plug 21 and the counterbore of the nozzle. Continued opening movement of th valve 24 will carry with it the valve I8 and its apertured sleeve 2| thus gradually increasing the amount of steam passing through the nozzle I3 and concomitantly increasing the lift. Obviously, up to this time the pressure established in the injector tubes is not sufficient to deliver water from the injector against boiler pressure, but full opening of the valve 24 will freely admit steam to the forcing nozzle past the plug 21 and effective operation of the injector to deliver water will be established. These effects will be repeated in reverse order as the steam. valve means are closed.

Hence, grading of the injector may be accomplished simply by operation of the single steam valve control stem 26.

Although a preferred form of the steam valve means is shown in Fig. 1, wherein the gradual uniform taper of the inner wall of th lifting steam valve sleeve 2| will produce a uniform increase in the supply of lifting steam as the valve is opened, it will be understood that the characteristics of lifting steam admission may be varied, as may also the characteristics of admission of the forcing steam, by appropriate variations in the contours of the operative surfaces of the valves. One such arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 4, wherein the inner annular face of the sleeve 2| is provided with two tapers or cones a and b, respectively, and the plug 21 of the forcing steam valve is tapered throughout a greater extent of its length. It will be understood, moreover, that other variations in the valve characteristics may be made, and that various combinations of the valves are possible to meet service requirements of the injector. In the modification of Fig. 4, it will be obvious that as the sleeve 2| moves upward and the surface a encircles the edge 22 of the wall I9 the increase in the rate of steam admission will be rapid due to the relatively steep taper of this surface, but, when the surface b subsequently becomes operative, the increase in admission rate will be more gradual due to the more gradual taper of such surface. Moreover, where the plug 21 is in the form here shown,

Another such arrangement is illustrated in Fig.

4a.. In this other arrangement provision is made to accommodate the injector to the handling of water at temperatures in excess of those normally obtaining in injector operation. Where such abnormally hot-water is fed to the injector, the

effective condensation of steam necessary to proper functioning is greatly reduced, and it becomes necessary, therefore, in starting the injector, to admit at the nozzles a relatively large amount of steam and thus increase the intake of water, and thereafter to decrease the supply of steam as injector operation is established. Hence, as shown in Fig. 4a, the sleeve 2l of the lifting steam valve may have its taper c reversed, so thatthe greatest annular area of its control is initially operative, and will function to grade the injector operation.

It will be apparent, moreover, that instead of forming the taper interiorly of the sleeve 2| it may be formed exteriorly thereof, and a suitable cooperating surface or edge may be provided interiorly of the collar IS.

The overflow valve 29 which normally closes the overflow passage 3 is manually controlled by a valve stem 30 and carries a sleeve 3| afiixed to it and. provided with a piston-like head 32 having a sliding fit which gives it clearance in an opening in the wall 33 of the water chamber. The usual septum 34 constricts the overflow spillway from the tube passage and directs the overflow into the space between the valve disc 29 and the head 32. Inasmuch as this water acts upon the valve disc 29 and head 32 simultaneously, the pressure thereof upon the valve is equalized and manual opening and closing of the valve is facilitated. Moreover, the pressure established in the overflow chamber upon breaking of the injector may be somewhat relieved pending opening of the overflow valve by restricted escape of water through the annular space provided by the fit of the head 32 in its opening in body wall 33. It will be noted, moreover, that full opening of the valve 29 is not sufficient to withdraw the head 32 from its opening in the wall, and hence, when the valve is opened preliminary to starting of the injector, water will not escape from the water inlet 2 through the overflow, assuming that the water level in the tank is higher than the overflow.

It has been found that in injectors operating upon the principle of the invention, and particularly those in which the overflow is located above the delivery chamber, whether of open or closed type, wastage of water, which may occur during the starting, may be minimized, if not entirely prevented, by raising the wall carrying the seat of the overflow valve 29 to a level in line with or slightly above the plane of separation at 35 of the combining tubes 9 and It, that is to say, the lowest draft opening of the tube assembly. Such a modified construction is illustrated in Fig. 5. In this construction the septum 34 is shortened somewhat in order that the spillway between the tube passage and the overflow may be of adequate size.

As shown in Fig. 9, the steam valve means need not be associated directly with or in the axial line of the tube assembly, but may be located apart therefrom with its two interdependently actuated valve elements controlling the adthe overflow valve seats.

mission of steam to the lifting and forcing steam nozzles through appropriately formed communieating passages 36 and 31. Thus, this feature of the invention may be in such form as to provide a substitute for the separately operated lifting and forcing steam valves of injectors of known types. a I

Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 10, the lifting and forcing steam valve elements of the steam controlmeans may be formed as an integral member instead of as two relatively movable members as in Fig. l, and by appropriately locating the sleeve taper 23, sleeve openings and plug 21" with relation to each other and in proper setting with respect to the fixed means with which they cooperate, this modified form of the valve means will be effective for the purpose intended.

Although the mode of operation of the injector will, it is believed, be apparent from the foregoing, it may be described briefly as follows: Assume thatthe water inlet 2 and steam inlet 4 are connected With appropriate sources of water and steam, respectively, that the delivery 5 is connected with a boiler (usually the boiler to the steam space of which thesteam inlet 4 is connected) and that the overflow 3 is open to atmosphere, either with or without a waste pipe, and that suitable controls are connected to the valve stems 26 and 30. In starting, the overflow valve 29 is first opened wide and this not only vents the combining chamber to atmosphere, as is necessary, but permits water standing therein to drain out to the level of the wall in which Then the steam valve is fully opened, but it will be understood that the effective opening thus produced takes place gradually due to the character of the valve. As the steam valve is opened water is drawn in through the water inlet, the suction produced being sufficient to raise the check valve 1. As pressure builds up in the delivery chamber, even with the overflow valve open, delivery will take place through the channel 5 to the boiler past the usual check valve arranged at the boiler end of the delivery pipe and relatively little if any water will be lost through the overflow. Of course, as is customary in injectors of the manually closed overflow type such as this, as soon as delivery starts the operator closes the overflow valve 29. With the injector in operation and water being delivered to the boiler, the rate of delivery of the injector can be regulated as may be required by appropriate adjustment of the steam valve means, and inasmuch as the steam to Water ratio is governed by the design and operative characteristics of these valve means the delivery temperature will be maintained substantially constant and there will be no consumption of steam in excess of that necessary to maintain delivery at the rate desired.

Moreover, due to the characteristics of design and functioning of the steam valve means, the steam to water ratio will be so maintained that the temperature of the water at the delivery will remain substantially constant whether the injector is delivering at full capacity or is graded to less than such full capacity. This maintenance of the delivery temperature and the maintained steam to water ratio ensure efficient service of the injector and accomplish a marked economy in operation, it being apparent that the higher the percentage of water fed in proportion to the steam employed in feeding it the greater will be the economy in steam consumption and the less the need for reconversion in the boiler. In other words, the economy effected in steam consumed in the operation of the injector makes available more steam for use in operating the engine supplied by the boiler.

Various changes and modifications are considered to be within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an injector having the substantially customary tube and nozzle elements including a lifting steam nozzle and a forcing steam nozzle, valve means for controlling the admission of steam to said nozzles, comprising two steam valves interdependently actuated, one of said valves including positive seating means and means for varying the effective valve opening in response to the relative separation of said seating means, said means forvarying the effective valve opening including a sleeve movable with its valve and having a tapered interior surface serving during movement to vary the effective area between it and a cooperating fixed part.

2. In an injector having the substantially customary tube and nozzle elements including a lifting steam nozzle and a forcing steam nozzle, valve means for controlling the admission of steam to said nozzles, comprising two steam valves interdcpendently actuated, both of said valves including positive seating means and both having means for varying the effective valve opening in response to the relative separation of said seating means, the means carried by one of said valves for varying the effective valve opening comprising a sleeve movable with its said valve and having a tapered interior surface serving during movement to vary the effective area between it and a cooperating fixed part.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the sleeve is provided with openings through which steam is permittcdto reach the other valve.

4. In an injector having the substantially customary tube elements, a lifting steam nozzle, a forcing steam nozzle arranged axially within the lifting steam nozzle, said lifting steam nozzle provided with a pair of substantially concentric walls providing between them an annular space through which steam may reach the nozzle, said forcing steam nozzle provided with a plug-receiving bore, and steam valve means cooperating with said nozzles and including a lifting steam valve seating upon one of said walls to normally close said space and a forcing steam valve substantially closing said bore, and means for imparting interdependent operation to said valves.

'5. In an injector having the substantially customary tube elements, a lifting steam nozzle, a forcing steam nozzle arranged axially within the lifting steam nozzle, said lifting steam nozzle provided with a pair of substantially concentric walls providing between them an annular space through which steam may reach the nozzle, said forcing steam nozzle provided with a plug-receiving bore, and steam valve means cooperating with said nozzles and including alifting steam valve internally chambered and seating upon one of said walls to normally close said space and a forcing steam valve having a disk seating Within the chamber of said lifting steam valve and having a plug substantially closing said bore, and means for imparting interdependent operation to said valves.

6. Apparatus as claimed inclaim 4, in which the lifting steam valve is provided with a tapered sleeve normally extending into said space.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the lifting steam valve is provided with a tapered annular sleeve normally extending into said space, said sleeve cooperating with an annular surface of one of said walls to vary the effective steam passage communicating with said space.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which the wall of the chamber of the lifting steam valve is apertured to admit steam to the forcing steam valve seating therein 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which the disk of the forcing steam valve is unseated prior to movement of the lifting steam valve to admit steam to said space and to the forcing steam nozzle.

10. In an injector of the manually closed overflow type, an overflow valve seating in one wall of the overflow chamber of the injector body and having an operating stem extending through another wall thereof provided with an opening, and a head carried by and movable in response to movement of said valve and substantially closing said opening, whereby the valve is capable of balanced operation in the presence of pressure in said overflow chamber.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, in which the last mentioned wall separates the overflow chamber from the water inlet chamber, and the head has clearance in the wall opening, whereby initial pressure in the overflow chamber may be partially vented into the water chamber prior to opening of the overflow valve.

WALTER H. TINKER. 

